Idlewild
by TheImaginationAddict
Summary: "Diana and I have our playhouse there. We call it Idlewild." Some of the 'elegant times' that Anne and Diana had - set in AOGG after Mrs Barry allows their friendship to continue, once more. Canon. Oneshot.


**Disclaimer: No, I don't own Anne, or any of them. Do you have to rub it in?**

* * *

><p><strong>Idlewild<strong>

"_You know that little piece of land across the brook that runs up between our farm and Mr. Barry's. It belongs to Bell, and right in the corner there is a little ring of white birch trees—the most romantic spot, Marilla. Diana and I have our playhouse there. We call it Idlewild. Isn't that a poetical name? I assure you it took me some time to think it out. I stayed awake nearly a whole night before I invented it. Then, just as I was dropping off to sleep, it came like an inspiration. Diana was ENRAPTURED when she heard it. We have got our house fixed up elegantly. You must come and see it, Marilla—won't you? We have great big stones, all covered with moss, for seats, and boards from tree to tree for shelves. And we have all our dishes on them. Of course, they're all broken but it's the easiest thing in the world to imagine that they are whole. There's a piece of a plate with a spray of red and yellow ivy on it that is especially beautiful. We keep it in the parlor and we have the fairy glass there, too. The fairy glass is as lovely as a dream. Diana found it out in the woods behind their chicken house. It's all full of rainbows—just little young rainbows that haven't grown big yet—and Diana's mother told her it was broken off a hanging lamp they once had. But it's nice to imagine the fairies lost it one night when they had a ball, so we call it the fairy glass."_

Anne ran down to the bottom of the garden, where the brook separated the Barry farm from the Cuthbert homestead, one mild spring evening. She and Diana had planned to meet in Idlewild, after school.

'It's so UPLIFTING to think that our friendship has stood the test of so many trials and tribulations, isn't it, Diana? Did you know, I could NOT bear to even look towards Idlewild, all these days; it felt like an AGONIZING reminder of those golden days of our happiness. But now, it feels even more delightful – it stands as a monument to all the troubles we have faced and overcome. And, look – I had found this old scarf by the road last week, after Sunday school – it's PERFECT for curtains for our drawing room – all pink and gauze, with cream coloured patterns, which reminds me of the evening sky, right before sunset, when the sun goes down in a blaze of pink and golden glory. I KNEW it was just the thing for curtains as soon as I laid eyes on it, but I did not even have hope to SUSTAIN me, that I could ever share it with you, so I kept it in memory, of how things were.'

'Oh Anne, even I had found this beautifully polished stone, down by the brook the other day, and I wanted to show it to you so badly – it's perfect as a showpiece for our mantelpiece – see, it's shaped like a rabbit.'

'Oh, how lovely!' exclaimed Anne, taking the curiously-shaped rock eagerly. 'We can pretend it is a curio, made from white marble, which was carved for a beautiful princess, as a wedding gift; but which was lost during a storm, when the ship carrying the guests was shipwrecked – and this poor stone rabbit, after being tossed about in the sea, was washed ashore – only to be scooped up along with sand, which they brought here from the shore to - to build the schoolhouse! - and was thrown away by some careless worker; and finally came to rest at the bottom of the brook.' She continued thoughtfully, 'Of course, they would not have brought sand all the way from the shore to build the schoolhouse, but there's no harm in pretending, is there? Now Di, I've thought of such an APPROPRIATE game for today – let us play that you have been off traveling the world, and return home after so many years – to be joyously reunited with your childhood bosom friend, who has been toiling away in drudgery, and you tell me, in moved accents – 'Come, my dearest Cordelia! I have amassed a great fortune in all my sojourns, and you do not have to be a slave for others anymore! All my riches are yours, for hadn't we sworn to share everything in our youth? Your troubles are now vanquished!'

The above scene was enacted dutifully by the loyal Diana, who tried heroically to repeat the lines of the generous friend (who sounded remarkably like a novel hero), and after Anne, who, in the part of Cordelia - had tearfully thanked her, (with all the emotion of three heroines) they set about pursuing culinary wonders.

'Do you mind if I cook lunch today, Diana?' asked Anne, hesitantly.' I wish to practise cooking, you see. Marilla has tried to teach me so many times, but I always get into one scrape or the other, and it has begun to seem like a HERCULEAN task to me. The problem is that I often find some or the other new thing which distracts me, and it is so hard to keep your mind on duties when you find something interesting, isn't it? Oh, look! You can gather those bluebells for decorating our table; we can pretend they are trumpets of the fairies - left behind after last night's revels.'

Diana, who had a good eye for colour, soon wandered off to find some yellow dandelions she had seen on the way, and Anne, who had been stirring imaginary gravy, soon wandered off (in mind) to a lunch party in the conveniently- hazy future, where the guests went off in raptures over her dishes, and everyone longed to know her recipes – with blithe disregard for the dish in front of her; which would certainly boded ill for anyone who might have eaten it – had it been real.

She was brought down to mundane reality by actual visitors to her 'house'. Jane and Ruby, who had come up to the Barry house to meet Diana, had heard that she was out playing, and had come to join them. Anne flew to meet them, in a fluster, remembering another guest to whom she had acted as hostess, with such tragic results; and said, in her most welcoming voice. "How do you do? Please do come in. How is your mother, Jane? And I hope all your folks are well, Ruby?'

Jane, who was unaccustomed to being treated in such a formal manner, took offense. 'Yes, she is, Anne. And why do you talk as if you don't know that I have a cold – when we sat together at lunch just today? I'm sorry if we have _interrupted _your game – you could just say so.'

'No, no Jane!' Anne cried in distress. 'It's just a MISUNDERSTANDING. I was pretending that you were real guests to our – Di and my home – and talked like grown-ups do. Won't you pretend like you are, too? It will be so much fun.'

Mollified, Jane sat down on a moss covered stone, which served as a seat – "green velvet upholstered couches" – as Anne imagined – but Ruby looked around disdainfully. 'Aren't you too old to be playing houses, Anne? Lord, I wouldn't be caught DEAD playing such childish games now – what if any of the boys saw us? And no, my dress will get stained by the moss – I'll stand, thank you.'

Anne, whose eyes had flashed in sudden resentment at this last dialogue, was on the verge of uttering a scathing reply, when she recollected herself and turned away, with clenched teeth.

'If she doesn't like it, MUST she say so? I feel like telling her off, but Marilla says I must control myself, and not "fly off into a passion", like I did with that time. It wouldn't be so hard to control my temper, if people didn't provoke me by being so UNACCOMODATING and disagreeable!'

Diana, who had returned with a bouquet of flowers enough for several drawing rooms, was chatting away with Jane and Ruby, so Anne left her to entertain them, and wandered off in search of something to serve as plates; for their meagre cutlery only served for both of them.

In a few moments the three girls were hailed by an excited voice, "Look at what I found! Five four-leaf clovers!'

Anne handed out one to each of them, leaving one as it was – "for someone else to stumble upon, and find luck" – and announced, "Now, let us all make a wish. Then we can pretend that our wishes have come true and live out our dreams right now!" And it seemed that Ruby found some games not at all silly – for she joined in rather too wholeheartedly – "I wish for a tall, blonde, handsome prince to come and carry me away in a golden carriage trimmed in red velvet, and live in a huge castle made of marble and with crystal chandeliers, and have lots of jewels - made out of gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds and sapphires "- in the later, after they had acted out each of their "dreams", and they were setting out for home, Ruby, in a sudden burst of generosity, handed her pretty filigree brooch, saying, " Won't you have this brooch for today, as a keepsake of friendship,Anne? It was so sweet of you to think of this idea!"

As Anne remarked to Marilla, before she went to bed that night, "Sometimes, we just have to endure the disagreeable parts of people, because there can be SOME good in them too. But the enduring part is very hard, I think."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:****Please read, review and point out any behavioral,social,situational or grammatic errors!**


End file.
